Memory

Memories are funny things, the way they work.

Some things you try so hard to remember, but can't quite. The details just aren't there and it's all a blur. Then there are other things so vivid that you will never forget them.

Memories are never perfect or complete, which can be a blessing and a curse.

And sometimes you will never know the true value of a moment until it becomes a memory.

That is why this blog has become so valuable to me since having kids!
I go back and read things that I don't even remember now. Things from just last year. And I love reading it and remembering. Remembering how much JOY I receive from my children and my family. Joy from learning about them, learning with them, joy from laughing with them and sometimes there's the joy from laughing at them too!
These are just a few more things that have made me smile and that I want to remember :)

KASEN

• Sometimes when I tell him "No" he'll then tell me to, "Be nice Mom!"
• He's started to eat more of his meals sitting at the counter, while Tai sits in his high chair and they both love it cause they can reach each other to share food. Especially since his solution to not finishing his food is to feed it to Tai! He will eat yogurt for breakfast by the bowl full though!
  
• He's learned that he can squeeze his fruit snacks hard enough to pop them open so that he doesn't need to wait for me to eat them.
• If Kasen is watching one of his shows then Kyle doesn't let him play games on his phone so now when Kasen wants to play games he tells Kyle that it's "Dad's turn show. Football? Grandpa? (Blue Bloods)" Haha We had a good long laugh about that!
• He got a picture of Jesus in nursery and was showing it to Tai. I asked him if he was teaching Tai about Jesus and to tell her that Jesus loves you. He walked up to Tai and said, "Tai, Jesus loves ME!"
• At night after we read and sing I ask Kasen to tell me about his favorite part of the day and we talk about everything we did. I love being able to talk with him more now! He's memorized a few of his books and will "read" them to me too. He also has a night light and sometimes we do shadow puppets. Or he'll lay down and fake snore. He usually gets out of bed after I leave to turn the light on though. I have to go in after he's asleep to turn it off. 
  
• He LOVES venison! Jake and Kristi gave us some of the deer meat he got and Kasen had 4 servings. He never eats that good!
• I let him color with markers for the first time and without even telling him, he knew how to take off the lid stick it on the end of the marker and to put the cap back on after he was done! Whaaaa?!
• I love when he says, "Come with me!", "Snuggle me", "Feel better Mom?", or "Mom, where are you?!" before he comes looking for me. Then when I can't find him and ask where he is, he'll answer, "I'm right here Mom!"
• When he asks what something is and I tell him, he says, "Oh!" and repeats what I said. I love it.
• Sometimes when Tai is in her church dress he calls her a princess. Something he picked up outside of me and Kyle cause we don't call her that. We call her Stink.
• He's started to say sorry for different things, whether it's something that deserves an apology or not. I like it when he apologizes for accidentally hurting me though!
• He calls Kyle "Ky-low" now.

TAI

•  She's starting to walk! November 16th she walked across the room for the first time and I didn't even stand her up and tell her to come to me. Whenever she pulls herself up she'll try walking away now.
• For a couple weeks Tai was waking up in the night again. She has 5 teeth now, but is back to sleeping through the night! Yay! 
• When Peeka barks sometimes Tai will say, "Oh oh oh!" sounds like she's trying to bark too.
• When you can see all of her teeth then you know she is fake crying.
• She likes climbing in drawers and baskets lately. The fun part for us is when she tries to get back out and sort of falls out. She always goes back for more though!
  

"Christ doesn't just make up the difference, He makes all the difference." -Brad Wilcox

Our November temple date last night was a GOOD one guys!
I even put on a real bra for the first time in 2 1/2 years! No more of that comfy, nursing bra stuff here ;)
We went to the Salt Lake Temple then to dinner at the Cheesecake Factory and then Kyle took me to see Trans Siberian Orchestra!
There were parts that got a little weird and crazy, but there were some amazing parts too!
We decided it was a good show to see one time.
And I learned that Trans Siberian Orchestra is not a full orchestra and they are not just instrumental. There was more singing than instrumental songs I think.
We decided we want to go to a new Christmas concert/show every year as our little tradition. There are always so many good concerts going on around the holidays. Yay for fun new traditions!
And yay for amazing weather. I walked all around Salt Lake, in a dress, at the end of November, and wasn't even cold. Loved it.